Clare Evans

Activity and exercise for better mental health

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

This week is Mental Health Awareness week and this year's focus is on physical activity and exercise to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

One person in four will be affected by mental illness or neurological disorder in their lives. There's still an element of misunderstanding, stigma and ignorance around mental health. Two-thirds go untreated.

Mental health can vary from occasional periods of feeling down, anxiety, not able to cope and low self-esteem to more serious bouts of severe depression and more serious mental health issues.

Exercise is important, not only to keep us physically fit and healthy but it's also important for our mental health and wellbeing too.

Chemicals released during physical activity make us feel good. We all know the buzz we get when we've done any form of physical activity.

Spending too much time in office buildings surrounded by artificial light and away from fresh air disconnects you from your surroundings and can impact your mental wellbeing.

Get into the habit of moving more and increasing the amount of activity that you do on a daily basis.

- walk more - to the bus, up stairs, to the shops.
- exercise regularly - a brisk twenty minute walk in your lunch break, before or after work.
- take up a team sport, join a group
- join a yoga or meditation class to relax and unwind after a busy day.

Physical exercise - even for a short period of time, increases mental alertness, energy levels and boosts mood. Find time for two to three 30 minute sessions of activity each week. You'll also sleep better which also has a positive affect on mental health.

While you can't expect to feel happy all of the time, being mentally healthy enables you to cope with times when you're feeling under pressure or experiencing grief, loss or failure.

Look after yourself.

Image courtesy of [David Castillo Dominici] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you got a business plan?

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Yes? No?

Not one of those 20+ page documents you put together when you first started your business or went to the bank to ask for funding - but something that is a working document about how you run your business.

When I asked that question to a room of 200 business owners recently, only a handful of hands went up.

OK, some of them may not have wanted to put their hands up but generally it's only a small percentage of the people I talk to on a regular basis that actually DO have a business plan.

Your business plan doesn't have to be any more complicated than one page.

Where you are now.
Where you want to be.
How you're going to get there.

Once you've got the basics down you can then start to put together the action plan which will help you work your plan, achieve your goals and grow your business.

Without a business plan - your business is like a rudderless ship - you may be going somewhere but not necessarily in the direction you want to go.

Spend a few minutes today thinking about your business plan. Get your key goals written down, review it regularly and see the difference it makes. Drop me an email if you'd like a copy of the one page business plan.

Take a look at "How to create and successfully implement your business plan"

Image courtesy of [pat138241] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Live Below The Line - the experience

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Sat, 04 May 2013 20:20:00 +0000

Well, it's been an interesting experience and one I'll certainly be happy to repeat next year.

I'm glad I'd created my checklists and menu planner - simple but effective. It made things a lot easier working out what I could and couldn't eat and how much budget I had left each day. Next time - with more notice, more thought and more planning, it will be even easier.

My week's menu was simple. Plenty of brown rice and porridge as staples each day.

I didn't feel deprived - just grateful and appreciative (and perhaps a little hungry). The main difference was the quantity and variety of what I was eating.

It places the emphasis back on food for survival and nourishment rather than something we stuff in our faces with no thought as to what it is we're actually eating. Getting back to basics not aimless consuming of unnecessary calories.

I did miss fruit and veg, although grateful that I was able to pick fresh veg from the garden at a fraction of the cost of buying it - purple sprouting broccoli and chard. A lesson for next year.

I didn't want to compromise my usual buying patterns by switching to cheaper, lower quality or overly processed food - I still had free range eggs.

Next time I'll buy more in bulk and be more selective, so the unit price is less each day. Those pennies make all the difference.

It wasn't that tough - despite many people saying it wasn't something they could possibly do themselves. It's only five days! It's not like a diet that people attempt for weeks on end.

It's far tougher for the millions of people in other parts of the world who experience real hunger and poverty on a daily basis. It's not too late to support the challenge - you can make your contribution here.

You can do it too - if you plan and organise your store cupboard and menu ahead of time and think carefully of what you're buying.

You can also support other communities around the world through Kiva - join today and get $25 free.

Living Below the Line - halfway

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:18:00 +0000

Days 1-3: Well snacks are certainly out and after the first day, it made me realise just how much 'grazing' I do - my freshly made mid-morning coffee, popping down to make a cup of tea or have a soft drink between clients or the occasional treat.

When I'm feeling a bit peckish I'll pop down for a slice of toast, a piece of fruit or a snack but that's out of the question this week, as it easily adds up and can blow the day's budget in one go. So without those I'm feeling hungry by meal time.

I've been measuring everything out - just to make sure I'm sticking to portion sizes, which makes it much easier to stick to the day's budget. It's too easy to throw in an extra handful when you're not focused on quantities and price.

Buying in bulk helps - larger packs work out cheaper per unit (although do check prices, it's not always the case - supermarkets are sneaky like that!).

Buy things when they're on offer, at or near their sell-buy date - you can save at least 50% on goods you normally buy, but watch those tempting offers on things you don't really need.

Plan your menu - tot up the cost for each day, so you know how much you can spend on breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a few pennies for drinks and snacks each day.

Protein is a challenge - meat is very expensive when you're limited to £1 a day and pretty much out this week.

(Photo credit: demandaj)

Top 5 frustrations of running a small business

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:15:00 +0000

Based on personal experience and observations of businesses I've worked with.

Marketing - I know I struggled when I first started, never having done it before. I've done a huge amount, learnt a lot along the way, although still a way to go and new things to learn all the time. I still see many small businesses who don't know how to market, where to start or even why they need to do it (yes, really)!

Finances - not just the basics of knowing and keeping track of what comes in and what goes out but also what makes business sense and knowing what to charge. New businesses I work with often seem to think that if they're cheaper than everyone else - they'll get the business, not always the case. Finance also includes getting paid on time or knowing how and when to chase.

Jack of all trades - having to or trying to do everything. Especially in the early stages or when you feel you can't afford staff or to outsource. You're juggling the marketing, PR, accounts, admin, selling, working with clients and customers or producing your product/service, coming up with new ideas, running the business day to day, social media ...

Which leads on to -

Staff/Employees - when to hire and fire. Getting the right staff on board - either permanent, full-time, part-time, outsourced or freelance and what to do when it goes wrong or things aren't working quite as you want.

Time - not having enough time to get everything done or not using it in the most efficient and productive way. Wasting time on things that aren't going to benefit their business. Getting distracted by everything and everyone. Not understanding the value of their time and where it can be most productively (and profitably) spent.

The impact running your own business has on your work/life balance - do you really want to spend all your evenings and weekends on your business. How much time it takes to get a business going - getting out there, building your reputation, finding clients, creating a good structure, the right processes for a successful business.

What are your frustrations when running your business?

Live Below the Line - can you survive on £1 a day?

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:05:00 +0000

This week 1000s of people are accepting the challenge to live on just £1 per day.

I only became aware of this at the weekend but decided to join the challenge and see just how feasible it is.

Well, it's going to be tough. After a quick calculation of store cupboard essentials and what I was eating last week, some items are definitely going to be out. Even a simple orange works out at 30p, nearly a third of the day's allowance.

It means no cafe latte's and definitely no treats. Although I've worked out that I might be able to manage the occasional home brewed coffee and will be drinking more water (free) to replace the more expensive (relatively) teas and coffees I drink on an almost daily basis.

I'm not going to resort to basic/value ranges to keep the cost down. I want to become more aware of just how much my daily food bill is costing and what I'm eating.

I've not shopped specifically for this challenge to get the very cheapest unit price, which could have saved a few valuable pennies here and there but I've taken what I've already got and picked up a few items on offer to keep the cost down.

May aim is to eat healthy, balanced meals - waste less, eat less and see just how much we take for granted.

So far porridge, brown rice and eggs are likely to feature quite frequently on the menu.

Please support me in my challenge and help raise funds for Practical Action at me/clareevans

Related articles:

Live Below the Line

Rice with peas (Photo credit: pelican)

Brighton Summit - The Pleasure Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:28:00 +0000

The first ever Brighton Summit took place on Friday 19th April and what a great event it was. The theme was "Doing business in a city built for pleasure".

Different from many business events with a varied and inspiring selection of speakers and different panels and sessions for people to get involved in, as well as the opportunity to network.

Just before lunch was The Pleasure Hour. The opportunity to do something a little different for an hour. There was a choice of: joining a choir, chocolate making, a walking tour, gaming, visit a secret garden and meditation.

OK, so I didn't opt for something completely different but it was the 'secret' element that attracted me as well as the opportunity to get out into the fresh air for an hour.

The forecasted showers hadn't appeared and a short walk from the Clarendon Centre is The Garden House. An amazing and delightful garden set behind a terrace of houses, complete with chickens, a vegetable patch and a wonderful garden room (ideal for workshops).

There's no better way to spend an hour and take a complete break from the busyness of business. Something that can be applied back in the workplace - whether in the office or at home.

We all felt refreshed and revived returning for the afternoon sessions - a very appropriate adjunct to the work life balance aspect of my own talk. A reminder that an hour's break out in nature can give you a physical and mental boost and reduce stress.

So, make the most of the sunshine, as and when it appears.

One Simple Tip that will get you great results

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:05:00 +0000

What could make the biggest difference to how much you can achieve?

What one thing do my clients notice that gets them great results?

It only takes a few minutes, it's one of the simplest things to do but sometimes the hardest to implement.

Find out what it is and read the rest of the newsletter article "One Simple Tip for great results". Subscribe to the free monthly newsletter and get "7 Essential Time Tips For Instant Results".

Are you running a business or is it running you?

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I had a call recently from someone who is running their own business but working long hours, giving up their evenings and weekends and putting a lot of time into it but not getting the results they want - namely, they're finding it hard to earn any money.

Mums (and Dads) want a business that provides flexibility, fits in around the children, gives them with financial reward and a lifestyle they enjoy. So, they decide to start up their own business based on something they enjoy doing, are passionate about, the skills they have or that fills a gap they see.

Many successful businesses start this way - from the kitchen table - but they can end up being all work, no play and no money.

While you may have no previous knowledge of running a business and although you may not be heading for global domination, you need to take your business seriously. You need to know if you're running it just for fun or if you want to earn a living from it and recognise when the balance changes, so it's no longer fun or profitable.

Get clear about what it is you want. Know what you don't want. Recognise when things need to change and what you need to do to make those changes. If you're find you're working long hours and giving up your weekends but earning less than if you were stacking shelves in the local supermarket, perhaps it's time to do something different.

After all - "if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got."

That doesn't mean you need to give up. A few simple changes and a different approach could make a big difference.

Take a step back, get a fresh perspective and inject some new ideas and new ways of working into your business - get in touch if you'd like to talk things through.

(Photo credit: megrje)

Take a break in nature

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:50:00 +0000

A recent study has shown that birdsong can help us de-stress quicker. That's why so many relaxation CDs include birdsong and sounds of nature - running water, wind in the trees, the sound of waves.

You can't beat the sound of a nightingale in full song or a song thrush or blackbird singing from the top of a tree.

Getting out into nature can help us to re-energise and get us back into being productive. It's also a good way to improve your mental health and helps to get things back in perspective, especially after a busy day or when trying to solve a tricky problem.

Taking a break in nature is not only good for stress but fresh air and a brisk walk is good for your brain and your body. Get out into the daylight, top up your Vitamin D, breathe in ... and relax.

So open the windows and let in the sounds of Spring.

Related articles:

Birdsong can help you de-stress (Birdwatch.co.uk)

Singing nightingale (Photo credit: hegtor)

Out of the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:16:00 +0000

When I send out my monthly newsletter, it's interesting to see the variety of 'Out of Office' messages that come back.

Some are more helpful than others.

They vary from the simple "I'm out of the office until (date)", to the more informative or more specific.

- If you need to contact me urgently here's my mobile number.
- I'm not available but here's another person to talk to.
- If you're calling about a specific topic, have a specific request - contact this alternate number.
- I will/won't be checking my emails while I'm away.
- I'll be checking my emails periodically and will get back to you as soon as possible.
- I'm away on business ...
- I'm out in client meetings all day ...
- I'm on holiday until ...

I've even received a very specific one - along the lines of:

"I'm out of the office until (date). I will be checking my email at (time), I will respond to your email if it's urgent the same day, otherwise I will reply by the following day. If you need to talk to someone urgently, please contact (person + contact details)".

Out of Office auto-responses are useful for setting expectations - the sender knows you're away and when you're returning. They also have an alternate contact if needed.

Remember to switch them off when you return - set a reminder in your scheduler.

Do you use them - what's on yours?

out of office (Photo credit: Victor Bezrukov)

Women In Business

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:10:00 +0000

Today is International Women's Day - a day to recognise and empower women around the world, especially those competing in business.

While much of the business world is still male dominated, it is changing, slowly. Women have been in the workplace for less time than men and still earn less - even for doing the same job.

I've seen the rapidly expanding growth of women's business networks, where women get together to support other like-minded women.

Only a small percentage (12.5%) of the FTSE 100 companies have women on their boards and even less as CEOs.

Nearly 30% of self-employed businesses are run by women and they're growing and employing people at a greater rate than those run by men.

More women are setting up their own businesses. The main reason given is that they're able to run a more flexible business around school hours, particularly with a young family and have a better work, family, life balance than being employed. A reason why 30% of self-employed women work from home.

10% of women would like to start up a business but fear holds them back. Lack of support is also likely to be a factor, as they're still expected to be the 'home-maker' and main carer of children, so have to juggle running a business alongside their family commitments. It's probably one of the reasons that half of my clients are women.

Several 'kitchen-table' businesses have grown to become multi-million, global companies - the Body Shop is the most well-known.

Many ideas from businesses come from women recognising a gap in the market and creating a product or service to fill that gap or growing their hobby in to a business. So, if you think you've got a good idea, why not take the next step to turning it in to a business?

Today you can support other women entrepreneurs on International Women's Day - for every download of the Time Audit I'll donate $1 to Kiva. Grab your copy here.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The power of accountability to increase results

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:20:00 +0000

If you want to achieve something - you're far more likely to do so if you've made yourself accountable.

At the beginning of the year - along with 25% of the population I decided to 'do more exercise and lose weight'. To make sure I stood a better chance of success I buddied up with a friend.

We set our goals for the amount of exercise and target weight and then we've been checking in with each other regularly throughout the week. First thing in the morning - stating what we're committing to for that day and then being able to say if we achieved it or not the following day.

It works a treat - there's an element of competitiveness in making sure that we're not the one who slips behind, it helps us stay focused and on track and more importantly there's the accountability that makes even more certain we do what we say we're going to do!

It's the way so many of the slimming programmes work where there's a weekly weigh-in - you're being held accountable by the rest of the group and you don't want to feel bad or let others down.

I hold clients accountable by checking in with them regularly - either weekly or fortnightly. Weekly works best - especially at the start. Daily is even more powerful.

So how can you make yourself more accountable?

Get yourself a buddy, mentor or coach or team up with a friend or colleague.
Set the goals that you want to achieve or the habit you want to create.
Create an action plan, structure or routine to follow.
Check in regularly.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to keep productive when travelling

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:26:00 +0000

A common problem I come across when working with people is that when you have a busy travel schedule it knocks out your usual routine and emails and actions build up, which means you're twice as busy when you return.

So, how do you stay productive?

Plan time at the beginning and end of the day - to deal with day-to-day actions while you're away or to touch base with the office.

Use Cloud technology to access important documents while you're away - Dropbox and Google Drive are two great ways to share documents across your devices and with your team or clients.

Set aside time to check your emails. Even a short burst of 15-30 minutes enables you to keep up to date. Delete any spam and 'ping-pong' emails (those where ongoing conversations are bouncing to and fro) and flag important ones to deal with later or forward them for delegation.

While wi-fi free on a train or plane it's a great time to blast through emails without getting distracted by new one's. You'll be surprised how much you can get done without your usual distractions and interruptions.

Catch-up on reading. Time spent waiting in airports and stations is a good opportunity to keep up to date with some of those articles you've put aside to 'read later'. When you're away from your usual routine it also provides time to think up new ideas and opportunities.

Delegate as much as possible while you're away, so the day to day running of the business can carry on in your absence without needing your constant input. You can then focus on the purpose of the trip without interruptions.

If you have an assistant - they can filter and prioritise your emails for you and in some cases respond on your behalf, so you have less to deal with while you're away or on your return.

Review and update at the end of each day. Make a note of any follow-ups and actions as you go along, so there'll be less to do when you get back.

While you want to maximise your time while you're away, give yourself time to recover from a long journey or after a busy day of meetings.

Make sure you allow catch-up time on your return. Don't schedule a busy morning of meetings on your first day back - keep your diary free for at least an hour or two, so you can plan your week/day, set aside time for the follow-up and actions that have come out of your trip.

Manage your travel schedule - I've seen people who frequently plan back-to-back trips, hardly pausing for breath between one trip and the next. Be realistic about how many days travelling you can practically managed in a week or a month while still staying productive and finding time for your family and friends when you get back.

World-travel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Increase your company's productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000

What do you need to change or do differently that will make a big difference to you or your organisation?

What are the key habits your company needs to adopt which will increase your overall productivity and enable everyone to work better and more efficiently?

While I often work with individuals I also run workshops for teams and organisations. There are habits and key practices that many organisations could implement that would have a positive impact on the productivity of the whole organisation.

Two key areas which are a great source of time-wasting are email and meetings.

You can read the rest of this newsletter article "Increase your company's productivity" or subscribe to the free monthly newsletter. Get "7 Essential Time Tips For Instant Results" when you register.

The myth of Inbox zero

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Email is one of the top things that gets in the way of being productive - although it's a tool in itself, it's also a source of great time wasting.

Not only because of the shear volume of emails you receive on a daily basis but because of the time you spend dealing with it.

So having your Inbox at zero sounds great.

In reality it's not about getting your Inbox to zero but how you deal with email.

Let's face it, it's easy to get your Inbox to zero if you just move everything out to a series of folders but it doesn't mean you've actually dealt with it.

Some people will have folders named 'Action', 'Follow-up', 'Pending' etc. Now you have more folders to check each day which is OK if you're organised but there's a pretty good chance you'll forget and end up with overdue items in your 'Action' folder.

Your email relates to your work. Therefore any email you receive is part of a project your working on, clients you're working with or something else to do with your work ... right?

Getting back in control of your Inbox means being organised and having a structure and routine for dealing with it.

Don't take it personally - don't get too attached to your emails. It's probably not essential that you read every word.

Start at the source - can you stop the email arriving in the first place? Unsubscribe

There are more effective ways of managing communication between teams rather than using email.

(Photo credit: kogakure)

You don't have to answer it

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:33:00 +0000

How often do you call someone on the phone whether on their landline or more often their mobile and having answered it, they then say they can't talk ... they're busy ... with someone ... in the middle of something?

I hear it quite often.

If that's the case, you don't have to answer the phone - especially if you're in a meeting or with someone.

Good meeting etiquette and showing respect to the person/people you're with is that you prioritise them over anything else - especially interruptions from a phone call.

Is the interruption more important that the person you're with or the task you're working on? If it is - fine, go ahead and answer it but let them know. If not, let it go through to voicemail and call them back when it's more convenient and you're free to talk.

If you're expecting an urgent call - say so. Otherwise, remember to switch your phone off or put it on silent when you're with someone.

(Photo credit: plenty.r.)

Eating lunch at work is bad for you

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Yet more research on the detriment of not taking a proper lunch break. Especially if you're one of the 54% of office workers who work through your lunch break.

We have a culture of working long hours - there's almost an unofficial competition as to who can work the most hours, get in first and leave last.

In some organisations there's undue pressure to be seen to be working at all times or your job could be at risk - that means either skipping lunch or eating it at your desk.

One in thirty feel under pressure to eat their lunch at their desk or feel self-conscious if they go out for lunch.

We all need to take more breaks during the day. It doesn't take research to realise that sitting at your desk all day is bad for you. Not only will your posture suffer but keeping still for long periods doesn't help the circulation or concentration.

Take a break from your desk - try a change of scenery and preferably get out and get some fresh air. If you have the option of getting some exercise - then do so, even if it's just a walk around the block.

Eat - and take time to savour what you're eating rather than grabbing a hasty sandwich and dashing back to your desk or skipping lunch completely.

Don't feel guilty. You're entitled to regular breaks in your working day.

You'll be more productive the more breaks you take. The longer you work on one particular task, the less effective you're likely to be.

A happier, healthier and more productive workforce take fewer days off sick and staff turnover reduces, so it benefits the company and reduces costs.

After the workshop is over ...

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000

You've just come back from a really inspiring workshop - full of great ideas and you have a list of all the tips and information you've absorbed, enthused with all the things you're going to do and change.

You get home - it's been a long day, so you grab a bite to eat, switch off and relax.

The next day - you add the training folder full of notes to the pile or slot it on to a bookshelf. You might be thinking about some of the things you learned on the day.

During the course of the next week you might implement a few of the things you picked up with the motivation of your new found enthusiasm but within a couple of weeks you've probably forgotten most of it and you've slipped back into your usual habits and routine.

So, how do you make the intention stick? How do you make the changes and keep the momentum going until they've become new habits or ways of working or being that you want.

As soon as possible after the seminar, workshop or event - review the material and your notes. The more often you review the more likely it will stick in your longer term memory.

Set your intention and focus. What is it that you really want to achieve by making these changes or doing things differently, what is the underlying benefit that you'll get from it (it's often not what you initially think)?

Don't try to change too much at once - you'll feel overwhelmed and more than likely stop doing everything. Just make one small change at a time.

Make it easy - how are you going to fit these new changes into your work or lifestyle. If it's too complicated or expensive it's less likely to happen. Ironically, you might want to make the changes but you're 'too busy' ... 'you'll do it later' and of course later doesn't happen.

Commit to taking action. If you've come away with a list of 'to-dos' add them to your daily, weekly, monthly action list - set aside time for them.

Follow-up - both with yourself and others. If you've committed to doing something, review your progress on a regular basis - you're less like to fall off the wagon and more likely to stick with it.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lower productivity in open plan offices

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:08:00 +0000

A recent study shows that working in open plan offices reduces performance and increases fatigue. It's not an easy environment in which to be productive.

Easy to put up, easy to reconfigure, there is no privacy and little to stop noise, voices and phones carrying across the office space.

You're separated from from your neighbour by a short partition - in some offices the height and construction may vary but you can still hear the conversation or ad-hoc 'desk meeting' going on next door whether or not you want to or if it's relevant to you.

We all know people who have especially loud voices or who, from their own sense of self-importance, want everyone to hear their conversation.

As a reformed cubicle worker, and Dilbert devotee - I spent years working in the open plan office environment, so I'm aware of what does on.

An open-plan office environment supposedly improves communication but it does mean you suffer far more from distractions and interruptions. People can see you're 'in' and won't think twice about interrupting.

Some people can work in a noisy environment, others can't. Some tasks need focus and attention, others don't.

Book a meeting room or arrange to work from home if you need quiet undisturbed time.
Create boundaries (not necessarily physical) around your time and space. If you get interrupted at your desk - manage the interruption - do you want to deal with it or can you ask them to come back later?
Respect other people in and around your space - if you're having a 'chat' do it away from where you may be disturbing others.
If you need to have a meeting with colleagues either book a room or be aware of disturbing others around you.
Try noise cancelling headphones or playing 'white noise'. If you're listening to music - don't have it too loud to block out the office noise, you could damage your hearing.

Related articles:

Workplace distractions in open plan (acousticbulletin.com)
Workplace distractions (wsj.com)
From cubicles, cry for quiet pierces office buzz (NYTimes.com)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Get Productive: Writing effective emails

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:40:00 +0000

Email is intended as a quick and efficient way of communicating – consider the following email etiquette guidelines when writing your emails to make them more effective.

Be concise and to the point, don't waffle on for pages and pages. Keep it to 2-3 screens of information - or put the information in an attachment.
Use proper structure and layout - it makes it easier and quicker to read - lists, bullets, headings.
Avoid overly long sentences – keep them to 15-20 words each.
Keep paragraphs short - just 3-4 sentences each.
Be careful with formatting - rich text and HTML messages aren't always readable - create text only versions too - especially for mobile users.
Use a meaningful subject or change it if the discussion has moved on after a series of replies. Makes it much easier to find a relevant email later.
Use Subject Labels – ACTION REQUIRED, Information Only, Please Respond ... gives your reader an indication of the purpose of the email.
Avoid excessive use of abbreviations and jargon - not everyone will understand what you're talking about. If you need to use TLAs - explain what a Three Letter Acronym (TLA) is when you first use it then it's easier to recognise next time.
Be clear and specific if something needs to be done and say when you want it done by.
Use addressee fields appropriately:

To: = addressee needs to action, respond
Cc = for information only – no action/response required
Bcc = avoid using unless for mass mailings or multiple addressees

Include signatures on all external emails –this may be a standard part of your company's policy.
Use the cc: field sparingly - only include people who really need to receive the information.
Use templates for frequently used responses - saves time and effort and avoids having to retype the same information over and over.

Re-read your email before you hit send. It can be easy to miss things if you just type and send. Also if the topic is reactive, emotional or contentional it can be good to put it aside and come back to it.

Read it as the person who'll receive it - rather than the person who wrote it. What's going on in your head may not have come out as you think.

(Photo credit: avianto)

Get Productive: Email Do's and Don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:32:00 +0000

We all know how much time email eats into our day - in fact it's been shown to take up to 40% of our time and it's often one of the most frequently discussed problems.

While it's difficult to avoid email, here are few ideas to create a more professional and efficient email process that can be applied to both small and large businesses.

Is email the best and most appropriate means of communication? Sometimes it's quicker and more effective to just pick up the phone.
Only send it to the person who needs to read it. Don't clog up someone's inbox if they don't need to see it.
Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions. Avoids additional emails being sent back and forth.
Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. This should apply to any form of communication.
Make it personal - "Dear Sir/Madam" is so formal.
Don’t attach unnecessary files. Large files can clog up an email system - especially when they get sent to multiple addressees. Think about using Google Drive or Dropbox for file sharing.
Don’t write in CAPITALS - that's seen as shouting in the online world.
Don't leave out the message thread - especially if it relates to what you're discussing.
Read the email before you send it - we all mistype and skip words - check it through.
Don’t overuse Reply to All - does everyone really need to see your reply.
Don’t request delivery and read receipts - have their uses but may also be switched off anyway by the recipient.
Avoid excessive use of the high priority option, URGENT and IMPORTANT (unless it is!)
Don’t use email for confidential or sensitive information.
Avoid email ping-pong – pick up the phone instead.

Look out for more info and tips for a more effective and organised Inbox.

Email email email (Photo credit: RambergMediaImages)

Serial multitaskers - worse than they think

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Today an article appeared in the Telegraph about the impact multi-tasking has and the fact that it's actually not as effective as we might think.

Or at least those who think they're great at multi-tasking are likely to be the worst.

It also relates to another news item I saw recently about accident prone texters - oblivious to the world around them - who fall down stairs, walk in to lamp posts, fall down holes, trip over pavements and even walk into oncoming traffic - all while texting or using their mobile phones.

Just goes to show that some people can't walk and talk at the same time - let alone do anything more complex like driving.

Fortunately most of these incidents only result in appearing foolish or a slight dent to one's pride as you pick yourself up from the floor, rather than serious injury.

In reality it's better to focus on doing one thing at a time and doing it well rather than trying to do two or more things and doing none of them well. According to recent estimates you could actually be reducing your productivity by trying to multi-task.

When we 'multi-task' we're rarely doing two things at exactly the same time unless one of those things is automatic and we don't need to expend any brain energy on doing it or we're using different parts of our brain.

What's actually happening is you're switching quickly between one task and another - writing an email while talking on the phone - reading a report while sending a text ...

If you multi-task it will take you longer to complete both tasks than if you just did one at a time.

Focus on doing what's important rather than trying to do everything.

Try batch-processing tasks - group similar tasks together and set aside time to do them e.g. email, phone calls.

Set aside time in the day for specific tasks and avoid the temptation to 'multi-task' or get distracted in that time.

How often do you multi-task during the day and how does it affect your productivity and efficiency?

Related articles:

Serial-multitaskers 'worse at multitasking' (telegraph.co.uk)
The Myth of multi-tasking (blog post)

(Photo credits: www.smartsign.com)

Snowed under?

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Do you find yourself snowed under by all you have to do?

Whether it's the amount of email that arrives in your Inbox every day or the paperwork you have to deal with or the shear amount of work that you have to get through that leaves you working late in the office.

Write it all down. This is the scary part - working out just how much you have to do. Once you've got it down on paper you can start making sense of it all. Grab an A4 sheet and write it all down as you think of it - or create a mindmap of it all.

What's important? Not everything has equal importance and it's highly likely that you spend most of your day avoiding the important but managing to find time for the small, menial, unimportant tasks. Take a look at your list and highlight the important versus the relatively unimportant. How does each of your tasks relate to your business plan or objectives? Can you group similar tasks together and do them at the same time?

Get organised. When you've got a lot going on it helps to be organised, so you know what's where, what needs to be done and you can find things when you need them. Having written down your list, create a system, process and routine that will help you get things done.

What do you need to enable you to be more organised?
- daily planning
- have a routine
- create a structure
- organise your filing system
- put things away
- get up earlier
- go to bed earlier
- plan ahead
- delegate better

Step back. Sometimes when you're so caught up with everything you've got to do - you actually need to take a break from it all and get some perspective. Perhaps things won't look quite as bad when you put some space between you and them. It helps to do something completely different - switch off for a while and then go back to it.

Get help. You don't have to do everything all on your own - if you've got too much to do, what can you hand over to someone else to do for you? The chances are that much of your work isn't essential and you're not the only person that can do it.
- clearing email
- booking meetings
- making travel arrangements
- updating your accounts
- taking phone calls
- sending out invoices and reminders

It's important to know where you're starting from, so you can get back in control sooner rather than later. Take the Time Audit today and see where you need to focus first - just enter your details on the Time Audit form. Return your completed audit for free email feedback, tips and ideas.

Yield Sign (Photo credit: Rennett Stowe)

Newsletter: Turn your resolutions into habits that stick

noreply@blogger.com (Clare Evans) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:37:00 +0000

At this time of year many of us set New Year Resolutions - you're going to lose weight, get fit, earn more money, learn how to do x.

Most will have quit by mid February and many give up before the end of the month or don't make it past week one.

Take your time

It takes 30 days or 30 repetitions to develop a new habit. So if at first you don't succeed, get yourself back on track and keep going.

Remember how long it took to drive a car or ride a bicycle - it was hard work at first and took a lot of attempts to get it right. Now you don't even think about what you're doing. It's become automatic.

- What would you like to do differently?
- How will you feel when you've achieved it?
- What will it look like?
- What one action can you take this week towards this?

Write it down ...

You can read the rest of the article "Turn your resolutions into habits ..." or subscribe to the free monthly newsletter - enter your details on the right and get "7 Essential Time Tips For Instant Results".